Car insurance premiums

[Playbill]

After reading some of the posts below my question probably seems rather trivial, but I would still like an answer if possible.

My insurance renewal came and was about ten percent higher than last year. I went on a comparison site and got several quotes between £60 and £90 cheaper. The odd thing was that the third cheapest was with the same company I am currently with and £70 less than my renewal price.

I phoned the company and asked why this should be. After checking I was told it was because my online application showed my expected mileage would be lower than my previous years expected mileage (6000 instead of 8000). I told the them that was because I used my girlfriend's car more than my own. They agreed to match the online quote
and as the two cheaper quotes had a lot of hidden extras I went ahead. with them.

When the documents arrived today it said to check the details carefully.

Expected mileage is shown as 8000 and it states I have no access to another vehicle, when I definitely told them that I did.

When I phoned to query this I was told that the mileage made no difference to the premium nor did access to another car. I said I was told it did when I called a week ago, and if it did not why is it down on the schedule? And why is there a question about access to another vehicle if that makes no difference. I got some C**p about 'the way the forms are set out' and the guy was not going to alter the price.

I would like to know if access to another vehicle should result in a lower premium; I am sure I have read that it does, and it makes sense for it to be so? And is 2000 miles a year less a saving worth bothering to argue about?

[arwyn]

They tell you anything, as long as they kept you as a customer that's all that matters to them. Ringing them when you get your quote in the post always helps bring the price down.

[Playbill]

Yes you are right arwyn. Anyway, I did get them to match the online quote. But it must have been my refusal to add breakdown, lost keys and other extras that annoyed them enough to refuse any further haggling.

[Skyline D]

Your mileage will make next to no difference to the quote, certainly not at levels that small.

It's doubtful that access to another vehicle would make any significant difference either.

What actually happened was that as usual, there are bigger discounts available for new business and the internet quote included that. When phoned up they made any old crap up and preferred to match the quote rather than lose your business as in reality their exposure isn't any greater than if a new customer had taken the quote. Anything else is just flannel.

[Playbill]

You are probably right about the small difference in the mileage and as both you and arwyn said they will negotiate to keep me as a customer. . But if there is a 'yes/no' box on the form for access to another vehicle it seems to indicate that this is taken into consideration.

[Skyline D]

Taken into consideration, yes.

Make a difference of more than a fiver in a policy cost, unlikely.

[Bingo99]

I would speak to a local broker to make sure you get a cover that matches what you need. Too many of these internet sites can be a "one size fits all" product, and don't respond when you need to make a claim. Result being that insurance gets a bad name - again.

Why does everyone work hard to get nice homes, cars and holidays, and want the cheapest possible thing to protect them?? Doesn't add up, does it?